Recipe #10: ADOBONG PUSIT (Squid Adobo)

My lola hated squid. Unless if it’s Daing na Pusit (sundried squid). She wasn’t allergic to squid or anything. She just didn’t like it. But we liked it so she would still cooked Adobong Pusit for us whenever there’s a chance.

The little ones are the best because they’re young which means the flesh isn’t tough yet and there’s a hint of fresh-seafood sweetness.

Here’s the recipe on how my lola cooked it:

You will need:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium-size onion, chopped

1/2 kilo pusit (squid), cleaned

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup water

1 tbsp patis (fish sauce)

pepper to taste

How to prepare:

Add oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic and onion.

Add cleaned squids. Sauté for about 10-15 minutes.

Add patis, pepper, water, and vinegar. Do not stir. Lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until squid is done. Pro tip: Do not overcook the squid. The meat can get tough.

Serve with steamed rice.

Pro tip:How to tell if squid is fresh? The skin should be shiny and patters still intact (sometimes still moving), as well as the body parts. Before cooking, remove the cartilage inside (it’s a strand of thin transparent plastic-like like membrane that works like the backbone of squids) and the sharp teeth in their mouth right in the middle of their tentacles. Just push them out like a toothpaste and they’ll come right off easily.